Roald Larsen

Roald Larsen, born on February first, nineteen hundred in Kristiania, now known as Oslo, was a distinguished speed skater who made his mark in the world of winter sports. He was the son of Hans Jacob Larsen, a glazier, and Lydia Larsen, and grew up in a family of four boys, including his siblings Jaan Harald, Lyder Ragnar, and Gelgjermo Stone.

Representing the Kristiania Skøiteklub, Larsen achieved remarkable success in nineteen twenty-four, securing titles as the World Allround, European Allround, and Norwegian Allround Champion. His Olympic journey that year was particularly noteworthy, as he earned two silver and three bronze medals at the Winter Olympics held in Chamonix. Among these accolades was a silver medal in the allround event, a unique competition that combined the results of the five hundred meters, one thousand five hundred meters, five thousand meters, and ten thousand meters, marking a singular moment in Olympic history.

Despite his impressive achievements, Larsen often found himself overshadowed by the formidable Clas Thunberg, finishing behind him in all six events where he earned Olympic medals. After the nineteen twenty-eight Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, where he added another bronze medal to his collection, Larsen's competitive appearances dwindled, although he continued to skate occasionally until nineteen thirty-six.

Following his retirement from speed skating, Larsen embraced his family's legacy by becoming a full-time glazier. In nineteen thirty-seven, he established Roald Larsen AS in Oslo, a company that continues to thrive as a full-service construction firm as of two thousand eighteen. Roald Larsen passed away in nineteen fifty-nine at the age of sixty-two, leaving behind a legacy both on and off the ice.